Mazingira day: Nakuru through the eyes of an environmentalist

This year we get to celebrate Mazingira day the first of its kind. This is after it replaced the now defunct Utamaduni Day. The main aim of this day would be to take part in environment conservation activities. 

Nakuru County sits on the floor of the Rift Valley, enjoying a temperate climate with beautiful lashes of green in most parts of the county.

Saying that Nakuru County is beautiful would be an understatement. The fact the the county was once described as the cleanest in East Africa re affirms the whole point. 

As we mark Mazingira day, James Wakibia an Environmental activist, says when it comes to matters environment conservation, Nakuru is at a worrying state. 

Starting with the crown jewel of the County, Lake Nakuru, Mr. Wakibia highlights the pollution of this water body which is an integral part in the ecosystem of Lake Nakuru National Park. 

“The leakage of raw sewage into the lake not only pollutes the water, but also affects wildlife that depend on it as a water source,” he notes. 

So bad is the situation, that the Baboon Project of Kenya took Nakuru County Government to court over the dumping of toxic chemical and industrial waste.

On September 28, the Environment and Lands Court in Nakuru gave the County orders to stop dumping toxic chemical and industrial wastes in Lake Nakuru.

The environmental activist also points out the issue surrounding the lifting of caveat in the areas surrounding the Mau Forest.

Last year during a courtesy call to Governor Susan Kihika, former Lands Cabinet Secretary Zacharia Njeru announced lifting of caveats in areas near the Mau. 

He highlights this as a matter of concern saying that lifting the caveat will expose the forest to a lot of negative impacts. 

“Eventually with time, people will go and start investing and putting up structures there and in turn even encroaching into parts of the forest. This will in turn lead to reduced forest cover in this area and we all know how important the Mau forest is, from absorbing carbon emission, to acting as a water catchment area among others,” he says. 

 The issue surrounding the plastic ban is also a thorn in the flesh of the environmentalist. He gives a case example of the Njoro River, which he says has been heavily polluted with plastic materials. 

NTV’s Brygettes Ngana highlighted the issue on July 8, 2023 where we got to see first-hand the devastating effect the pollution has had on the communities living along this river.

At the beginning of the year, Egerton University and other stakeholders made deliberate efforts towards the restoration of the Njoro River. 

Mr Wakibia concludes by citing the single use plastics, nylon, plastic bottles and sweet wrappers as some of the materials that are heavily affecting the environment. 

“The fact that the city centre is usually clean should not fool us. When you move towards the estates and residential areas within Nakuru you get to see the environmental degradation that these plastics are causing,” he concludes.